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Gobi masala {spiced cauliflower}

When my partner recently ducked over to LA for a few days for work I thought, you beauty, I can buy a cauliflower and whip it up for dinner. Yes it’s the small things that get me excited, people. Things like cauliflower, cadbury creme eggs and the crust on sourdough bread. Maybe even a bottle of wine with a pretty label on it. You see, the other half loathes a few certain foods and this particular vegetable is one of them so I don’t even bother cooking it at home.

While cooking up the cauliflower in the way that I have here, it wasn’t the only thing I had for dinner that evening. I got a little inspired and vamped it up with other dishes that you’ll be seeing over the next few days. So rather than load up this post with recipes as long as your arm, I’ll be shooting out daily installments until I end with my plated meal. Pity it was just dinner for one!

I could have easily called this recipe “Indian spiced cauliflower” but seeing I threw together a bunch of fragrant and very Indian herbs and spices I thought going with gobi masala was more apt. This is seriously easy to make and the wafts of exotic spices will have your neighbours sniffing over the side fence.

Keep posted for the next recipe tomorrow …

gobi masala

serves 2-4

1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (keep the stem pieces for a soup)

¼ cup mustard oil

2 tbsp good quality Indian curry powder

1 tsp chilli flakes, or 1 small red chilli, finely chopped

¼ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp asafoetida*

1 tbsp curry leaves

1 tsp kalonji (nigella) seeds

½ tsp mustard seeds

Sea salt, to taste

1 tbsp chickpea flour

Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish

Preheat oven 220°C and line a baking tray with greased paper.

Rinse the cauliflower florets under running water and drain well. Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl combine the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour this over the cauliflower and toss well to coat. Tumble the cauliflower onto the lined baking tray and spread out evenly. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss them around a little and bake for a further 5 minutes.

Serve hot.

* Asafoetida is the dried and powdered sap from a plant that resembles fennel. On its own it has a pungent smell and tastes similar to garlic or leek but used in cooking adds flavour. In Indian cooking it’s used quite a lot, especially in lentil dishes to help prevent flatulence. If you can’t get your hands on it try using garlic powder instead.